Book Talk

REMEMBERING PATCHEN . . . The late Kenneth Patchen is remembered not only for his eloquent poetry but also for the striking "painted poems" he published, some of which are now on display at the Palo Alto Cultural Center through June 4. The gallery is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and until 10 p.m. on Thursday.

MITFORD VISIT . . . "Queen of the Muckrakers" Jessica Mitford, author of "The American Way of Death," will speak at the annual meeting of the Peninsula Memorial Society on March 19 at 3 p.m. at the Masonic Hall, 461 Florence St., Palo Alto. The public is invited to the free lecture, in which Mitford will discuss what has happened on the funeral scene since her landmark 1963 book. For more information, call 857-0891.

HONORING WOMEN . . . A number of local authors were among those competing for the Jeanne Farr McDonnell Book Award from the Women's Heritage Museum in February. Mary Lowenthal Felstiner won for her book "To Paint Her Life: Charlotte Salomon in the Nazi Era." Others nominated include Edith Gelles for "Portia: The Life of Abigail Adams," Autumn Stanley for "Mothers and Daughters of Invention," and Marilyn Yalom for "Blood Sisters: The French Revolution in Women's Memory." The museum will also have a book fair at Fort Mason in San Francisco, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 18 in Building A, with Felstiner appearing at 3:30 p.m.

BAY VISTAS . . . Access to San Francisco Bay has been preserved throughout the Bay Area, along with a growing network of hiking trails. Now there is a guidebook expressly for the extended bay trails. "The San Francisco Bay Shoreline Guide," from the California State Coastal Conservancy has wonderfully detailed maps, photographs of highlights and historical features, flora and fauna, advice and phone numbers. The book is published by the University of California Press. . . . Phileas Fogg's Books at Stanford Shopping Center has Wednesday night travel slide shows throughout March. Call 327-1754.

AUTHOR, AUTHOR . . . Some of the authors scheduled to appear at Printers Inc. in Palo Alto this month, all at 8 p.m., include Stanford's Herant Katchadourian ("Cream of the Crop") March 2 and Meredith Maran ("What It's Like to Live Now") March 14. Stanford's Robert Osserman ("Poetry of the Universe") appears March 15, and Diane Mariechild and Carol Osmer-Newhouse ("Open Mind" and "A Women's Guide to Spiritual Renewal") appear March 29.

Items for Book Talk, including news of local authors or events of interest to local book fans, may be sent to Don Kazak, Title Pages editor, Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302, by the last Wednesday of each month.